Óli G. Jóhannsson – The Rythm of Life, Bergþór Morthens – Controlled Chaos, Barbara Long – Stairway to Heaven, Sigurd Ólason – Farfars DNA and the virtual reality installation Femina Fabula. Artist talk at the opening with Bergþór Morthens and Barbara Long as well as an introduction to Femina Fabula from Kristján Ingimarsson.
A Strong Connection to Nature
Óli G. Jóhannsson was born in Akureyri, Iceland. His works reflect a deep connection to nature and the unpredictable rhythms of life. He is known for his distinct abstract expressionist style, where the forces of nature – the sun, the wind, and the sea – flow through his works.
His path to art took an unexpected turn when he suffered a near-fatal accident at sea, where he worked as a fisherman in the mid-1990s. This incident became a turning point in his life and led him to dedicate himself entirely to painting.
His works, shaped by influence of the COBRA movement, transform fleeting moments and memories into permanent forms, revealing their beauty and depth. They served as receptacles for the most significant experiences of his life – nature, emotions, and scattered moments – while simultaneously evoking thoughts about earthly existence, where the artist and his work intersect.
In the year that would have been his 80th, we honor Óli's memory and his unique ability to capture life's raw beauty and diversity. His works live on as an invaluable heritage that connects us to nature and the human condition.
The Lines Between Painting and Sculpture Unclear
In Berþór Morthens‘s artwork the lines between a painting and a sculpture are unclear but the material is the same, as are the colors and how they are used. Colors, both as a natural phenomenon and a cultural one. The world of images is alive, and the works fluctuate between a pictorial interpretation and the non-objective. The borders between inner and outer surface and what lies beneath become unclear in grotesque and distorted forms that simultaneously both cover up and expose. Excess and overload, where the process reflects society‘s extreme materialism: construction and demolition, creation and destruction. The works refer to history, modernity, pop-culture, art history, politics, the strange and the grotesque.
Bergþór Morthens (born 1979) studied at the Akureyri School of Visual Arts and finished an MFA degree from the Valand University in Gothenburg 2015. His works have been exhibited in Iceland, Sweden, Greece and Romania.
Touch with Caution
In her sprawling, interactive and immersive installation “Stairway to Heaven,” the Madrid-based artist Barbara Long (Newark-on-Trent, UK, 1960) explores the cycle of life, and the ups and downs of her own life, past, present, and future. With its 65 steps and over 20 meters in length, the installation re-presents the artist’s life to date, and the possibility of a future life up to 100 years. The installation is made entirely with recycled textiles and materials from the artist’s life and each step is upholstered with textiles (dyed red) relating to a year in her life.
With its flexible and organic structure, the installation is reminiscent of forest climbing plants, creating a protective refuge, and casting shadows on the surrounding walls. The public is invited to immerse themselves in the structure, and to touch it, with care.
Náttúrukraftur kvenleikans
The performance is based on the ideas of six female performing artists: Kajsa Bohlin, Lalla la Cour, Anna Stamp, Noora Hannula, Tuba Keleş, and Linh Le.
The works have been developed through their collaboration with visual artist Kirsty Whiten and director Kristján Ingimarsson, who serves as the artistic director of the production.
This international group explores their connection to the world and the freedom potential of the creative cultural and natural force inherent in femininity. Their methods largely revolve around collaborative processes and interactions with life-forms.
The exhibition features six VR videos in which the artists express feminine sensitivity and power through their individual working processes. They closely connect to various landscapes, reflecting on natural forces, food and the earth.
The recordings were directed by Kristján Ingimarsson, whose collaboration with artists Andro Manzoni and Áki Frostason (Folding House Production) has enabled the audience to be transported into a spherical soundscape of existential poetry, and a world of vivid images.
Production: KIC (kicompany.dk).
Grandfather‘s Artistic Influence
Sigurd Ólason was born in Copenhagen and has been immersed in creativity since childhood. Early classes at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, years of experimentation, and the lasting influence of his grandfather have guided his path toward abstraction.
His paintings emerge from instinct. Brushstrokes are immediate responses to emotion and experience. The process strikes a balance between spontaneity and reflection, directness and depth. While echoing Abstract Expressionism and Bauhaus, the work transforms those influences into something personal and contemporary.
The paintings are both intimate and open-ended. They are rooted in lived experience yet free of fixed narratives. They invite viewers to bring their own interpretations, making each encounter a shared dialogue.